Telecommunications network access rejection

• US 8,565,764 B2
• Filed: 12/11/2009
• Issued: 10/22/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Vodafone Intellectual Property Licensing Limited
• Original Assignee: Vodafone Intellectual Property Licensing Limited
• Inventors: Pudney, Christopher David, Fox, David Andrew, Howard, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Afshar, Kamran
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRAN, MONG-THUY THI
• Application Number:
  US12/653,395
• Publication Number:
  US 20100190497A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,411 Days
• Field of Search: 455/432.1, 455/433, 455/435.1, 455/440, 455/558, 455/510
• US Class Current: 455/435.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/00 Affiliation to network, e.g. registration; Terminating affiliation with the network, e.g. de-registration

Abstract

A method of controlling an attach procedure of a device 1 to a telecommunications network 140 following receipt of an attach rejection from the telecommunications network, the method including assessing the authenticity of the attach rejection, and selecting a criterion for performing a subsequent attach attempt by the device to the network in dependence upon the authenticity assessment. The authenticity may be assessed by determining whether the rejection was received by an authenticated communication link or a signed message. The authenticity may also be assessed by checking that the cause of the reject is consistent with information held by the device. The selected criterion may be power cycling of the device or the passage of a time period.

Claims

1. A method of controlling an attach procedure of a device to a telecommunications network following receipt of an attach rejection from the telecommunications network, the method comprising:

assessing authenticity of the attach rejection by determining whether there is a trust relationship between the device and the network that existed prior to the attach request;

determining a length of a time period that must expire before performance of a subsequent attach attempt by the device to the network is permitted unless a particular event occurs within the time period, wherein the length of the time period is determined in dependence upon the authenticity assessment, wherein the length of the time period is increased in response to the rejection being deemed authentic and wherein the length of the time period further depends upon a number of prior attach rejections of the device from the telecommunications network; and

performing the subsequent attach attempt in response to at least one of;

(i) expiration of the time period;

or

(ii) occurrence of the particular event within the time period, wherein the particular event includes at least one of;

power cycling of the device or a minimum threshold movement in location of the device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein assessing the authenticity of the attach rejection includes determining the authenticity of the attach rejection in dependence upon whether the attach rejection was received via an authenticated communication link between the device and the network.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

providing a hub which connects the telecommunications network to an authentication server to enable establishment of the authenticated communication link.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the attach rejection from the telecommunications network includes a rejection cause indicator, and wherein assessing the authenticity of the attach rejection includes determining the authenticity of the attach rejection by verifying the rejection cause indicator.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the rejection cause indicator indicates that the device is not allowed to operate in the telecommunications network, and wherein verifying the rejection cause indicator includes comparing the network indicated in the rejection cause indicator with a list of pre-stored networks at the device.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the rejection cause indicator indicates that the device lacks a subscriber identification module (SIM), and wherein verifying the rejection cause indicator includes determining at the device whether the SIM is in fact present.

7. A system for controlling an attach procedure of a telecommunications device to a telecommunications network following receipt of an attach rejection from the telecommunications network, the system comprising:

an assessment device that assesses authenticity of the attach rejection by determining whether there is a trust relationship between the device and the network that existed prior to the attach request;

a time period-determining device that determines a length of a time period that must expire before performance of a subsequent attach attempt by the telecommunications device to the network is permitted unless a particular event occurs within the time period, wherein the length of the time period is determined in dependence upon the authenticity assessment, wherein the length of the time period is increased in response to the rejection being deemed authentic, and wherein the length of the time period further depends upon a number of prior attach rejections of the telecommunications device from the telecommunications network; and

an attach device that performs the subsequent attach attempt in response to at least one of;

(i) expiration of the time period;

or

(ii) occurrence of the particular event within the time period, wherein the particular event includes at least one of;

power cycling of the telecommunications device or a minimum threshold movement in location of the telecommunications device.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the assessment device assesses the authenticity of the attach rejection by determining the authenticity of the attach rejection in dependence upon whether the attach rejection was received via an authenticated communication link between the telecommunications device and the network.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

a hub which connects the telecommunications network to an authentication server to enable establishment of the authenticated communication link.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the attach rejection from the telecommunications network includes a rejection cause indicator, and wherein the assessment device assesses the authenticity of the attach rejection by determining the authenticity of the attach rejection by verifying the rejection cause indicator.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the rejection cause indicator indicates that the telecommunications device is not allowed to operate in the telecommunications network, and wherein verifying the rejection cause indicator includes comparing the network indicated in the rejection cause indicator with a list of pre-stored networks at the telecommunications device.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the rejection cause indicator indicates that the telecommunication device lacks a subscriber identification module (SIM), and wherein verifying the rejection cause indicator includes determining at the telecommunications device whether the SIM is in fact present.